# Hair Color; Semi, Demi, or Permanent...



## shniddlydoowop (Oct 2, 2010)

I've been using permanent dye for years, gave up boxed dye 3 years ago, and am now ready to give up permanent dye.

I understand the differences between the three, and I know that everyone's hair is different so we should strand test and experiment a little to find our own solutions.

But my curiosity is with Demi Permanent hair color. I've heard before that while it fades, it can leave a color change to your natural hair. That while you can expect it to fade out within 24 washings, it can leave a different hue to your hair.

I'm a natural light brown, I don't know my level of color yet because I'm still learning. I do know that I dye my hair to a level 6 or 7 cool dark brown. If I use demi permanent hair color on my roots, will it consistently fade back to light brown and show months of new growth since my last permanent dye job?

I'm just trying to wrap my brain around demi dye and how it fades and if it deposits any kind of permanent stain.

Hope someone can help me out. Thanks everyone.


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## Dragonfly (Oct 2, 2010)

I found this info from: Temporary hair color, semi-permanent color, demi-permanent color and color rinses

*Semi-Permanent and Demi-Permanent Color:*

Semi-permanent and demi-permanent haircolors are similar in the way they work, but slightly different in their formulation.

Semi-permanent color is designed to deposit color onto the hair only and has no lightening effect. The formula includes an activator that develops the color and helps to raise the cuticle of the hair shaft so that the color can be deposited there.

Semi- permanent color doesn't penetrate into the cortex of the hair, but it will usually last from six to eight weeks, gradually washing out with each shampoo.

Demi-permanent color is also a deposit-only color with no lightening effect.

The difference between the Semi- and Demi-permanent colors is that with demi-permanent color the color molecules are smaller and therefore penetrate into the cortex of the hair, as well as being deposited on and in the cuticle. This makes demi-permanent color a better choice for covering gray hair. The color achieved also lasts longer, but will fade due to the formulation of smaller color molecules being able to come back through the cuticle with each shampoo.

Sounds like if you use a demi, your hair will fade back to its natural colour after so many washes.


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## shniddlydoowop (Oct 2, 2010)

Thanks. I've read a few other places that porosity could possibly make it last a little longer, and that it could possibly create a different hue, but that your natural color will still show through.

I'm at my wit's end concerning trying to let my permanent dye grow out. It's going to take forever, haha. I used to use pure henna, not boxed henna that's totally gross and bad for the hair. Perhaps I can look into that again and afterwards use demi on my roots.

Thanks for your help. =)


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## Dragonfly (Oct 3, 2010)

There are products available that will remove dye from hair.

If you are interested, check the search forum.

I also did one on using Vitamin C - that is found in search forum too.


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## SuperAwesome (Oct 4, 2010)

I use a demi. I have naturally ashy blonde hair and was sick of doing the light blonde/highlights thing all my life so in January I went warm brunette. I HAAAATE going to the salon and dropping tons of money every few weeks on a dye job/touch up... so we went with demi. it makes my roots EXTREMELY less noticeable because it fades the color over time so theres not a huge line of demarkation (sp?). It doesn't stay really rich for super long, but i am satisfied. I haven't dyed my hair since the end of april and don't have horrid obvious roots. i recommend it.


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